William Olaf Stapledon - known as Olaf Stapledon - was a British philosopher and author of several influential works of science fiction. Stapledon’s writings directly influenced C.S. Lewis, John Maynard Smith, Arthur C. Clarke, Bertrand Russell, and indirectly influenced many others.

“Olaf Stapledon was one of the most creative thinkers of our time. His influence on philosophy and science fiction is incalculable.” - Greg Bear

Written in 1946, Death into Life is not strictly a work of Science Fiction, but has been described as “an imaginative treatment of the problem of survival after death”. It primarily deals with the soul of a solider killed in the Second World War who finds himself surviving the death of his physical form.